The Center for Black Maternal Health and Reproductive Justice at
Tufts University School of Medicine
Hosts Innovators, Health Advocates, Practitioners, and Policy
Makers to Advance Maternal Health Equity. Announces 8th Annual
Conference Focused on the Role of Black Fathers.
BOSTON, May 7, 2024
/PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Center for Black Maternal Health and
Reproductive Justice at Tufts University
School of Medicine recently hosted the 7th Annual Black
Maternal Health Conference, the nation's largest convening focused
on global Black maternal health outcomes. During the two-day event,
organizers created a one-of-a-kind space to discuss innovations to
end the adverse maternal health outcomes experienced by Black
Women.
"This year's conference was a game-changer. We witnessed
groundbreaking innovations and heard from trailblazers who are
leveraging technology to bridge gaps in care, dismantle systemic
barriers, and empower communities."
Key takeaways from this year's conference include:
- Turning qualitative, lived experiences into actionable data for
hospitals, payers, providers, government agencies, national
maternal and child health organizations, and state and city
collaboratives
- Advancing accountability and transparency in birth equity.
Building and sustaining systems of responsibility
- Building and sustaining communities of care around birthing
people.
- Ongoing support for non-clinical care providers such as
Midwives, Doulas, perinatal mental health providers, etc.
- Closing the gaps in clinical data, especially reporting between
prenatal appointments and one year postpartum
The conference featured a diverse lineup of speakers, including
leading researchers, healthcare practitioners, technology
innovators, and community organizers:
- Jessica Bell Van de Wall, CEO,
Frame Fertility
- Layo George, founder and CEO,
Wolomi
- Melissa Hanna, CEO and
co-founder, Mahmee
- Wanda Irving, co-founder and
Chairman of the Board, Believe Her App
- Kimberly Seals Allers, founder,
The Irth App
- Simmone Taitt, founder and CEO,
Poppy Seed Health
- Ariana McGee, Theadora James, and Elicia Harris, MD, cofounders, Navigate
Maternity
For a full list of speakers, visit:
https://bmhc2024.vfairs.com/en/#agenda
Ndidiamaka Amutah-Onukagha, PhD, MPH, CHES, Julia A. Okoro
Professor of Black Maternal Health, Tufts
University School of Medicine and Executive Director for the
Center for Black Maternal Health and Reproductive Justice said,
"This year's conference was a game-changer. We witnessed
groundbreaking innovations and heard from trailblazers who are
leveraging technology to bridge gaps in care, dismantle systemic
barriers, and empower communities. From wearable solutions to
evidence-based, data-driven approaches, we have seen the power of
innovation to steer equity and justice in maternal healthcare."
She continued, "What captured all of us, however, were the
stories; The ones that broke our hearts and left us in tears. The
stories of lives lost, of unfair practices, of criminalization of
black and brown parents for decisions they've rightfully made about
their own bodies and that of their children. This is what moved us;
from these words, we pledged not to let the stories be left untold,
or the innumerable and often preventable deaths be in vain. Our
work continues, turning words into action, ideas into initiatives,
and challenges into opportunities."
"We're grateful to the Center for Black Maternal Health and
Reproductive Justice for hosting an inspiring event and bringing
together some of the most distinguished voices and passionate
advocates for maternal health equity," said Kathy Paro, Vice President of Strategy Execution
and Partnerships at Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, who served
as the Champion Sponsor of the conference. "The Blue Cross Blue
Shield Association is honored to support the Center and stand
together in an unwavering commitment to reducing disparities in
maternal care. Together with industry and community stakeholders,
we can close the health equity gap and raise the bar for every
Black and brown mom, at every stage of pregnancy."
The 8th Annual Black Maternal Health Conference will be held on
April 4, 2025, and will center on the
important role of fathers in addressing Black maternal health
disparities.
About the Center for Black Maternal Health and Reproductive
Justice
The Center for Black Maternal Health and Reproductive Justice
(CBMHRJ) is the first center of its kind, in the country, to foster
academic and community-engaged research with a focus on Black
maternal health and eliminating inequities. Born out of the MOTHER
Lab, the Center is founded and directed by Dr. Ndidiamaka
Amutah-Onukagha, PhD, MPH, CHES, the Julia A. Okoro Professor of
Black Maternal Health and Assistant Dean of Diversity, Equity, and
Inclusion in the Department of Public Health and Community Medicine
in the School of Medicine. CBMHRJ works to protect the Black
birthing experience by advocating for quality, equitable, and
respectful care in childbirth. The center seeks to create a world
where Black women can safely, efficiently, and comfortably receive
equitable access to healthcare services without having to navigate
through racism and/or discrimination in medical settings.
Media Contact
Jennifer Chapple Ingram, The
Center for Black Maternal Health and Reproductive Justice, 1
617-636-6948, jennifer.chapple_ingram@tufts.edu,
https://blackmaternalhealth.tufts.edu
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SOURCE The Center for Black Maternal Health and Reproductive
Justice